Lily was lying in her bed, her eyes watching the ceiling.
"Lily? Lily, are you still awake?" She heard her bedroom door creak open gently.
"Tuney? What is it?" Lily whispered.
"I'm scared. I had a bad dream. Can I stay with you?" Petunia asked her younger sister.
"Of course you can, Tuney." Petunia got into bed besides Lily. "What was your dream about?"
"Dementors. I heard you and that horrid boy talking about them. They sound so scary." Petunia shook slightly with fear.
"Tuney, I'll look after you. I'll never let them hurt you."
"How can you stop them? You're only nine!" Petunia whispered.
"Well there is a spell. It conjures something special – a patronus. The patronus is a ghost like animal that protects you and everyone with you from the dementors."
"You promise you'll protect me?"
"Always," Lily replied dozily. Harry could see fog beginning to swirl at his feet. It was so strange to see his mother and Aunt getting along like… well like sisters.
Harry could see Lily running, clutching something in her left hand. "Sev! Sev! I got it! I got my letter! Just like you promised! I got it!"
Harry couldn't help but smile as he watched his mother jump up and down excitedly as she told her best friend all about her letter.
"That's great Lily. We're going to Hogwarts. I hope we are both in Slytherin…"
"Slytherin? I don't think I care what house I am in, as long as I'm with you!"
"When are you going to get your stuff from Diagon Alley?" Snape asked.
"Next week! Oh it's so exciting! I've got to go, Petunia is waiting." Lily said before setting into a sprint, leaving Harry and Snape in her wake.
"Tuney, why would you say that?" Lily asked.
"Because it's true! You're a FREAK! Just like your friend Severus." Petunia replied tauntingly with a definite tone of malice.
"I'm not a freak!" Lily retorted. "You're just jealous!"
"I'm not jealous! Why would I be jealous? At least I am normal!" Petunia's eyes were full of spite.
"I'm telling mum!" Lily cried.
"You do that! Just because they think that you're special and unique doesn't mean that the rest of us don't know that you're really just weird!" Petunia taunted her sister, "in fact, you're not just weird, you're insane! You're dangerous!"
At that, Lily ran off crying.
James stood beside his parents as they welcomed their guests. It seemed like the place was filling up with pure-bloods, James thought to himself. Harry looked around but he didn't recognise many of the faces, his attention was diverted when he heard Charlus speak, "Welcome Malfoy,"
In front of Charlus was a white blonde haired man. He had a pointed noise and a look of loathing upon his face. On his right side was his wife and on his left, Harry recognised a young man who was without a shadow of a doubt, Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father.
"Abraxas, please make yourself at home. Ah, Lucius how is school?" Charlus continued conversationally, hiding the contempt from his voice.
"Hogwarts is very good sir." Lucius replied.
"And what is your favourite subject?" Charlus asked.
"Erm, perhaps potions, sir. Although I'm not sure." Lucius commented uncertainly.
"Ah well. James will be coming along this year. He starts first year in September. He is very excited as you can imagine." Charlus laughed. "Anyway, get yourselves a drink and feel free to mingle." The Malfoy family began to move away. Charlus whispered something to his wife.
"Father, where is Alice?" James asked, feeling slightly bored.
"Oh, she'll be here soon," he smiled at his son before turning to the next set of guests, "Bartemius, old friend! How are you?" Harry looked at the man before him and recognised him instantly Barty Crouch Sr.
"Not bad! Not bad, at all." Barty huffed. "Awful to-do at the ministry this last month. I think change is afoot." He said quietly to Charlus.
"Indeed, I couldn't agree more. If the muggleborn attacks keep escalating like this, well there will be none left before the end of the decade." Charlus said in hushed tones. "Ah, Mrs Crouch! You really are looking very radiant."
"Thank you, Potter," replied Mrs Crouch before continuing her own conversation with Dorea.
"And Barty Junior, you have grown, haven't you boy?" Charlus said to the young wizard who seemed about the same height as his mother.
"Yes sir. Almost as tall as father now." The young man replied.
"How many years have you got left at Hogwarts?" Charlus asked.
"Three sir. Just three." Crouch Junior smiled.
"Make sure you keep an eye out for James. He will be starting in September. Isn't that right James?"
"Yes father," James answered.
Harry watched as Charlus spoke to his guests. He caught some of their names; Lestrange, Greengrass, Brown, Crabbe, and Goyle. Lestrange Senior was sat talking to Malfoy whilst his two boys; Rodolphus and Rabastan sat talking to Lucius. "I do hate these parties, Malfoy."
"I know. Have you heard from the Dark Lord?" Malfoy asked softly. They sat in a corner, slightly out of sight.
"Not a peep. This week appears to be a quiet week in the world of muggle torture." Lestrange replied with a quick bark of laughter. Harry could see many different conversations taking place, but he was also faintly aware of a feeling – his gut instinct told him that every single guest was being watched very carefully.
"I just wish we could come out into the open and stop this charade."
"I know, Malfoy, but sadly that isn't an option. Not yet. There aren't enough of us just yet. Of course this year we will increase our number. The Black girls have made it their personal mission to recruit at Hogwarts."
"Really?" Malfoy seemed impressed. "Well well."
"Yes, Bellatrix is quite the firecracker. They aren't even DeathEaters themselves yet." He said with a slight chuckle. "We need girls like her. I'm hoping that she will marry into the family one day – it will be a fantastic day for the family tree."
Malfoy smiled at his friend, "Indeed."
Charlus was stood talking to a lady about his own age, "Augusta is Frank excited about starting Hogwarts?"
"Of course, it's one of the most exciting moments of any young wizard's life." The woman replied.
"Where is the young boy?"
"I would hazard a guess that he is exactly wherever your son is."
"In that case, probably right in the middle of some terrible prank. I told James to keep the pranks to a minimum tonight, although if I'm honest, I hope he doesn't listen to me."
Mrs Longbottom laughed gently at the idea. Harry looked around the room for his father but couldn't spot him anywhere.
Another gentleman clasped hands with Harry's grandfather, "Good to see you old man."
"Ah Septimus. It really has been too long." Charlus said, "How was the vacation?"
"Ah not bad. Felt bad leaving when the ministry was such a mess though."
"There's only so much you can do, Septimus. Even you deserve a break once and a while." Dorea said giving the man a quick hug.
"I suppose you are right, Dorea. Cedrella's been trying to tell me for months."
"How is Cedrella?" Dorea asked.
"She decided to stay home tonight to help Molly with plans for the wedding. I have the boys with me though."
"The wedding?" Dorea smiled. "Surely Bilius isn't settling down?"
Septimus chuckled, "no, definitely not. Arthur proposed to his long time girlfriend Molly Prewett the other week. Apparently they want to get married as soon as they finish Hogwarts. They are both starting their final year in September. Head Boy and Girl too." He added proudly.
"Fantastic news. The Prewetts must be delighted." Dorea said.
"It's good to hear good news in these trying times." Said Charlus, clasping his friend on the back.